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Ancient Chinese astronomers divided the night sky into three enclosures and twenty-eight mansions. The 紫微垣 Zǐ wēi yuán, “Ziwei Enclosure,” is one of the three enclosures, also called the Purple Palace enclosure, the Purple Forbidden enclosure, the Central Palace or the Ziwei Palace.
The Ziwei Enclosure is centered on the North Star or Emperor Star (Kochab). It is arranged in a screen-like shape, enclosed by the left and right walls, symbolizing the solid walls of the Emperor’s Palace.
Symbolizing the Heavenly Emperor’s residence and inner court, changes in the celestial phenomena in this area were thought to foreshadow events within the emperor’s inner palace. Besides the emperor, the empress, the crown prince, and the palace maids were all said to reside within this area
In ancient astrology, the Ziwei Enclosure was closely tied to imperial politics and was the core of the court astronomical system.
| # | Asterism | English | 2000 | Constellations | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 北極 (Běijí) | Northern Pole | 16♋45 | Ursa Minor / Camelopardalis | 5 |
| 2 | 四輔 (Sìfǔ) | Four Advisors | 11♋02 | Ursa Minor / Camelopardalis | 4 |
| 3 | 天乙 (Tiānyǐ) | Celestial Great One | 04♍56 | Draco | 1 |
| 4 | 太乙 (Tàiyǐ) | First Great One | 03♍23 | Draco | 1 |
| 5 | 紫微左垣 (Zǐwēizuǒyuán) | Left Wall | 20♉20 | Draco / Cepheus / Cassiopeia | 8 |
| 6 | 紫微右垣 (Zǐwēiyòuyuán) | Right Wall | 07♊53 | Ursa Major / Draco / Camelopardalis | 7 |
| 7 | 陰德 (Yīndé) | Hidden Virtue | 26♋13 | Draco | 2 |
| 8 | 尚書 (Shàngshū) | Royal Secretary | 12♌18 | Ursa Minor / Draco | 5 |
| 9 | 女史 (Nǚshǐ) | Female Protocol | 03♋58 | Draco | 1 |
| 10 | 柱史 (Zhùshǐ) | Official of Royal Archives | 11♊09 | Draco | 1 |
| 11 | 御女 (Yùnǚ) | Maids-in-waiting | 25♉03 | Draco | 4 |
| 12 | 天柱 (Tiānzhù) | Celestial Pillar | 29♉54 | Draco / Cepheus | 5 |
| 13 | 大理 (Dàlǐ) | Chief Judge | 29♋33 | Camelopardalis | 2 |
| 14 | 勾陳 (Gōuchén) | Curved Array | 15♊42 | Ursa Minor / Cepheus | 6 |
| 15 | 六甲 (Liùjiá) | Six Jia | 25♊45 | Camelopardalis / Cepheus | 6 |
| 16 | 天皇大帝 (Tiānhuángdàdì) | Great Emperor of Heaven | 20♊41 | Cepheus | 1 |
| 17 | 五帝內座 (Wǔdìnèizuò) | Interior Seats of the Five Emperors | 09♊07 | Cepheus / Cassiopeia | 5 |
| 18 | 華蓋 (Huāgài) | Canopy of the Emperor | 23♉50 | Cassiopeia | 7 |
| 19 | 杠 (Gāng) | Canopy Support | 27♉49 | Camelopardalis / Cassiopeia | 9 |
| 20 | 傳舍 (Chuánshě) | Guest House | 12♉52 | Camelopardalis / Cassiopeia / Cepheus | 9 |
| 21 | 內階 (Nèijiē) | Inner Steps | 23♋00 | Ursa Major | 6 |
| 22 | 天廚 (Tiānchú) | Celestial Kitchen | 03♈23 | Draco | 6 |
| 23 | 八穀 (Bāgǔ) | Eight Kinds of Crops | 18♊38 | Camelopardalis / Auriga | 8 |
| 24 | 天棓 (Tiānbei) | Celestial Flail | 10♐23 | Draco / Hercules | 5 |
| 25 | 內廚 (Nèichú) | Inner Kitchen | 22♌58 | Draco | 2 |
| 26 | 文昌 (Wénchāng) | Administrative Center | 00♌50 | Ursa Major | 6 |
| 27 | 三師 (Sānshī) | Three Top Instructors | 23♋59 | Ursa Major | 3 |
| 28 | 三公 (Sāngōng) | Three Excellencies | 20♍16 | Canes Venatici | 3 |
| 29 | 天床 (Tiānchuáng) | Celestial Bed | 20♌40 | Ursa Minor / Draco | 6 |
| 30 | 太尊 (Tàizūn) | Royals | 28♌49 | Ursa Major | 1 |
| 31 | 天牢 (Tiānláo) | Celestial Prison | 26♌32 | Ursa Major | 6 |
| 32 | 太陽守 (Tàiyángshǒu) | Guard of the Sun | 03♍40 | Ursa Major | 1 |
| 33 | 勢 (Shì) | Eunuch | 18♌45 | Leo Minor | 4 |
| 34 | 相 (Xiāng) | Prime Minister | 07♍50 | Canes Venatici | 1 |
| 35 | 玄戈 (Xuángē) | Sombre Lance | 06♎57 | Boötes | 1 |
| 36 | 天理 (Tiānlǐ) | Judge for Nobility | 18♌45 | Ursa Major | 4 |
| 37 | 北斗 (Běidǒu) | Northern Dipper | 15♌12 | Ursa Major | 7 |
| 38 | 輔 (Fǔ) | Assistant | 15♍53 | Ursa Major | 1 |
| 39 | 天槍 (Tiānqiāng) | Celestial Spear | 29♍58 | Boötes | 3 |
Ziwei Enclosure